international

Drawn to the bar

by Virginia Miller

Drink and art feel like destined companions in bar form. At the best bars, art lovers can contemplate a piece of art with drink in hand, while novices soak up the atmosphere or even get hooked, often on local artists. Some of these bars are cocktail destinations, others are low-key spots where you can grab a beer, glass of wine or basic cocktail while immersed in everything from urban art to historic murals. Here are 10 unique art bars, from Israel to Indonesia

Scarfes Bar, London

scarfesbar.com Housed inside the Rosewood London hotel and sporting the tagline, ‘Where Paintings and Potions Meet’, Scarfes Bar has been a London bar destination since 2014. Lined with art from British artist and caricaturist Gerald Scarfe, Scarfes feels like it has been there a century, aided by marble walls, a roaring fireplace and live jazz. But it’s as eccentric as it is elegant, thanks to humorous paintings and whimsical menu books, like the recent 18-drink cocktail menu based on the Enneagram personality test, with two drinks representing the two extremes of each personality type.

Palette, San Francisco

palette-sf.com Palette’s large space is a dining destination and art gallery, centred around chef Peter J Hemsley and team’s artful-yet-playful food (think broccoli kimchi dip scooped up with beef tendon chicharrones). In late spring 2021, they opened their art gallery/cocktail lounge. The striking, lofty space is marked by velvet couches and chairs, and decor that’s tailored to the changing exhibits from local artists. Bar Manager Trevin Hutchins’ cocktails are thoughtful, often inspired by rare classics, and also delicious. Case in point: the Alvear, inspired by 1965 cocktail A.M.B.A. 65, a combination of Laphroaig 10-year-old scotch whisky, Rhum JM VO rum, sweet vermouth and Clément coconut. Bonus points: the extensive absinthe collection, absinthe fountain and absinthe cocktails (like the Absinthe Frappé).

“At the best art bars, art lovers can contemplate a piece of art with drink in hand, while novices soak up the atmosphere or even get hooked, often on local artists”

TOP: The Whiskey Library at The Vagabonf Club; RIGHT: Madrone Art Bar

Scarfes Bar

Bemelmans Bar, New York

rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-newyork/dining/bemelmans-bar Turning 75 years old in 2021, Bemelmans – the iconic piano bar in the 90-year-old Carlyle Hotel – is truly a legend. The creator of the Madeline children’s books, Ludwig Bemelmans’ famed murals have been a backdrop for countless movie scenes and celebrities gracing this space over the decades. Drinks are steeply priced and not the first draw but delightfully elegant service is. So too are the old-school dishes, from stainless-steel snack caddies to fancy andouille pigs in blankets and caviar service. With its location off Central Park and those warm, glowing walls, each home to Bemelmans’ enchanting pictorials, the entire space is art.

Beit Kandinof, Tel Aviv-Yafo

kandinof.co.il A beloved restaurant with Mediterraneaninspired food by chefs Yogev Yaros and Shami Golomb, Beit Kandinof is also a bar and art destination set in a historic building in Jaffa’s Old City. Opened by Amir Erlich and Arianna Fornaciai, it combines their experience in restaurants, nightlife and art in a roomy complex that features changing exhibits, an artists’ studio and art events. The space is packed with art books, antique chandeliers, photography and paintings, and five galleries feature changing exhibitions from Israeli artists, both established and upand-coming.

Madrone Art Bar, San Francisco

madroneartbar.com A San Francisco fixture since 2004, Madrone is a neighbourhood gem that makes multimedia art both playful and hip. Evoking an eclectic artist’s studio, it’s lined with local art (paintings, photography, sculpture, video and more), showcases performance art with rotating, mixed-media art installations and regularly erupts into a dance party with DJs – from Motown on Mondays to its Prince and Michael Jackson nights. With the tagline, ‘Because the highest form of art is drinking with friends’, Madrone has become a locals’ bar that keeps art alive and approachable.

Duddell’s, Hong Kong

duddells.co With its expansive indoor space and rooftop patio, Duddell’s is a chic-yet-relaxed destination for modern dim sum, changing dishes like pan-fried Hokkaido scallops in crab roe sauce, absinthe service and refreshing cocktails like a Rhubarb Smash (bourbon, Nardini Rabarbaro liqueur, cinnamon syrup, orange, lemon and mint). But Duddell’s is also an arts stop with a dedicated art programme that includes lectures, talks, screenings and rotating artwork exhibitions – many on loan from the rarely seen archives of private collectors. A recent collection, Inspired by Ink, showcased 36 works by 13 Hong Kong artists.

Doodle Bar, London

thedoodlebar.com In London’s Bermondsey ‘hood, this industrial, brick-walled bar under railway arches serves craft beers and gins alongside popular burgers and rosemary fries. The casual, cavernous space uniquely allows guests to doodle on massive blackboard walls, in between rounds of cocktails, table football and ping pong. First starting as a pop-up in Battersea in 2009, Doodle Bar moved to its current home in 2015. This bar represents a hands-on take on the art bar – one that keeps it fun and down to earth.

The Vagabond Club, Singapore

hotelvagabondsingapore.com Housed in a 1950s Art Deco building, Singapore’s luxe Vagabond Club is the first hotel in the city-state to feature an artist-inresidence programme, as well as art tours, featured artists and video installations from artists like Marco Brambilla. The hotel’s gorgeous interiors are designed by acclaimed French designer Jacques Garcia. Think dramatic gold banyan trees and animal sculptures (like life-size elephants hoisting up the main elevator). Take in art from rotating artists, then dine under the gold tree in the restaurant, Yellow Pot Little India. A monkey sculpture centres the Vagabond Bar, while live jazz sets the tone in the Salon. In The Whiskey Library, home to a collection of over 1,000 rare whiskies, the arts theme continues with intimate jazz storytelling, readings, theatre sessions, independent film premieres, musical showcases and artist evenings.

Ruci Art Space, Jakarta

@ruci.art Melin Merrill cofounded Ruci Art Space in 2014 in a design-forward industrial building in South Jakarta’s Senopati neighbourhood. Housing a cafe with alcoholic drinks on offer, the venue hosts changing exhibitions by new and emerging local artists across two floors, ranging from paintings and photography to fashion exhibits. Local DJs and online art sales expand the community and youthful vibe. This sleek gallery/cafe has already done much to engage those outside the art world with Indonesian artists, photographers and fashion designers.

Section 8, Melbourne

section8.com.au An all-day outdoor party set in a former vacant car park, Melbourne’s Section 8 (aka the ‘container bar’, as drinks are served from a shipping container) has been a gathering place for live music, DJs, drinks and urban art for 15 years. Graffiti wall art and framed art are celebrated here, while even wooden pallet seats are vibrantly painted. Whether serving mulled wine when it’s cold or throwing 13-hour block parties, Section 8 has become a local institution and prime example of bringing art to youthful crowds.

Bemelmans Bar

ABOVE: Beit Kandinof

“Some of these bars are cocktail destinations, others are low-key spots where you can grab a beer, glass of wine or basic cocktail while immersed in everything from urban art to historic murals”